Potential Bruins deadline options: P.A. Parenteau

The Bruins’ biggest need as the trade deadline approaches is clear: They need a right wing (or two). With both Nathan Horton andRich Peverley out, help is unquestionably needed on the top line, and the B’s could use it on the third line as well.

With that being said, it’s rather astonishing how slim the pickings are when it comes to right wingers this trade deadline. Only about seven teams appear to be out of the playoff race at this point, and few of them have good right wings at the end of their contracts.

One player who does fit that description is Islanders right wing P.A. Parenteau. Playing on the team’s first line with John Tavares and Matt Moulson, Parenteau has already tied his career high for points with 53 this season, which is second on the Islanders only to Tavares. Those 53 points are five more thanPatrice Bergeron, who leads the B’s with 48 this season.

Parenteau scored 20 goals a season ago, and though he has 12 this season, it’s is 41 assists that jump off the page.

With that being said, the Bruins don’t need a winger who can rack up assists. As anyone who has watched the team in recent weeks could tell you, their issue is that they can’t score. If the B’s do swing a trade for Parenteau, they would likely do so with the hope that he could play on either David Krejci‘s line orChris Kelly‘s line and help the team’s scoring woes.

A trade for Parenteau could also help the issues the B’s have been having on the power play. Seventeen of Parenteau’s points this season have come on the man advantage (five goals, 12 assists), while the B’s have been 2-for-21 on the power play this month.

Parenteau commands just a $1.25 million cap hit and will be a free agent at season’s end. Given that he is 28 years of age, a good showing with the Bruins could make him more than just a rental, as Benoit Pouliot‘s deal is up at the end of the season as well. Given how many free agents the Bruins have, it’s hard to tell how they’ll go about making up next season’s roster, but Parenteau could earn a spot on this Bruins team.